Can Beef Make You Sick?
Health ConditionsDigestive Health

Feel Sick After Eating Beef? 3 Possible Causes

If you experience upset stomach, vomiting, or diarrhea after eating beef, you may have food poisoning or a food intolerance.
Feel Sick After Eating Beef? 3 Possible Causes
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Updated on July 31, 2025
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It’s no secret that Americans love beef, since the United States is the largest consumer of beef in the world.

 Classic beef dishes like burgers, steaks, meatballs, and tacos are staples at summer barbecues, restaurants, and sports events. But although beef is popular, it can sometimes make people sick.

If you feel sick to your stomach after eating beef, several potential factors could be to blame. Symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and indigestion could be caused by anything from food poisoning to a food intolerance or new allergy.

Here are three possible reasons beef could make you sick.

1. Contaminated Beef Could Give You Food Poisoning

It’s important to cook beef to an internal temperature that’s high enough to kill any germs that could make you sick. Beef that’s raw or undercooked may still contain germs that can lead to food poisoning. Each year, about 48 million people in the United States get food poisoning.

It can take a few hours or several days before symptoms show up, and the severity of symptoms will vary depending on the type of germ that causes the foodborne illness. Common symptoms are diarrhea, stomach cramps, and vomiting. Symptoms of food poisoning from consuming bad beef may come on suddenly and they can last for a couple of hours or several days.

Most instances of food poisoning are mild, but some cases can be life-threatening. For example, when the contamination is caused by E. coli, 5 to 10 percent of people with this type of foodborne illness will have a life-threatening complication.

 More than 128,000 people are hospitalized in the United States each year because of food poisoning, and approximately 3,000 people die.

If you think you or someone you know may have food poisoning, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids and seek medical attention if symptoms are severe. Signs to watch for may include:

  • A fever above 102 degrees
  • Dehydration
  • Dizziness
  • Diarrhea that contains blood or lasts at least three days
  • Frequent vomiting that makes it difficult to keep liquids down

2. You Could Have a Beef Allergy

While uncommon, it’s possible for people to have a food allergy to beef. Even if you grew up never having had an issue digesting meat, you can develop a meat allergy at any time in life. One common cause is a bite from a Lone Star tick, which can cause people to develop an allergy to red meats like beef.

When someone with a beef allergy consumes beef, the immune system senses danger and sends signals to the body. Antibodies created in response to that threat attach to immune cells and hang around, ready to respond if the danger returns. Any time beef is consumed after that first time, the cells release chemicals known as histamine to try to protect the body.

The type and severity of symptoms someone experiences is dependent upon where the antibodies are released in the body. Signs and symptoms of an allergy may include:

  • Wheezing
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Tightness in the throat
  • Hives
  • Swelling of the tongue or lips
  • Cough
  • Pale or bluish colored skin
  • Confusion
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Anaphylaxis, a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that needs immediate medical attention

3. You Could Have a Beef Intolerance

While about 1 to 2 percent of adults, and up to 10 percent of children, have food allergies, as many as 20 percent of all people have some type of food intolerance. Research identifies enzyme deficiencies as a possible cause of food sensitivities, which could explain why some people who ate beef without issue when they were younger suddenly experience an intolerance as they get older.

"Beef needs more stomach acid and enzymes for proper digestion," says Marina Yuabova, FNP, DNP, a family nurse practitioner and associate professor at City University of New York. As you age, normal production of digestive enzymes declines, and without enough enzymes, indigestion, abdominal bloating and a feeling of gastric fullness can occur, she says.

While an allergic reaction to beef can be life-threatening, an intolerance to beef is a digestive issue — not an allergy. It can cause unpleasant symptoms like stomach upset. Symptoms of a food intolerance may include:

  • Bloating
  • Diarrhea
  • Gas
  • Heartburn
  • Nausea
  • Stomach pain or upset

The Takeaway

  • Cook beef to the appropriate internal temperature to reduce your risk of food poisoning, which can cause symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, and may require medical attention if severe or prolonged.
  • Some people may have a beef allergy, which can develop at any point in life. Symptoms of a food allergy can include hives, swelling, and difficulty breathing.
  • Understanding the difference between a beef allergy and intolerance is crucial; while an allergy can be life-threatening, an intolerance mainly causes uncomfortable digestive symptoms like bloating, nausea, or diarrhea.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Cattle & Beef - Sector at a Glance . U.S. Department of Agriculture. May 22, 2025.
  2. About Food Safety. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. April 29, 2024.
  3. Symptoms of Food Poisoning. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. January 31, 2025.
  4. Meat Allergy. American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. May 8, 2019.
  5. Tuck CJ. Food Intolerances. Nutrients. 2019.
  6. Food Allergy vs. Intolerance: What’s the Difference? Cleveland Clinic. April 13, 2022.
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Yuying Luo, MD

Medical Reviewer

Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care for her patients.

Her clinical and research focus includes patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia; patients with lower gastrointestinal motility (constipation) disorders and defecatory and anorectal disorders (such as dyssynergic defecation); and women’s gastrointestinal health.

She graduated from Harvard with a bachelor's degree in molecular and cellular biology and received her MD from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she was also chief resident. She completed her gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital and was also chief fellow.

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Mikel Theobald

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Mikel Theobald is an Indianapolis-based freelance writer who covers a wide range of topics, including early childhood education, home and family, Olympic sports, nutrition, fitness, and health. Her work has appeared in consumer and professional publications such as HealthDay, AOL, Huffington Post, Livestrong, and others.

Her favorite aspect of health writing is providing information to readers that helps them confidently advocate for their health and well-being. She helps readers sort through the complexities of important topics so they walk away with a deeper understanding of the information.

When she isn’t spending time with her family or meeting a writing deadline, you can often find Theobald volunteering for child advocacy organizations. She is the proud mother of 3 humans, 2 dogs, and 1 cat. She loves good books, live music, and Broadway musicals.

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